RE: Information, Data, taxonomy of knowing

["Vic Forte" <vic@vicf.com>]

> Like Vic I too 'believe it is important to appreciate direct knowledge
> (experience - IW). And not only from a wine drinking perspective.'

Thank you, Ivan Webb for taking my short message and building upon it.

When I discovered Deming, I asked someone the question "This is great stuff,
but how do I actually do it?" I saw lots of good ideas that made sense, but
a seeming mountain to climb in terms of practical application. And the
answer I got back was, "I'm sorry but you've just got to jump in and try and
do it."

Looking back it might have been better if they had said something like -

"Develop a good theory based upon what you have read and studied, then take
action based upon your theory to try and improve something. Do it in a small
way that you can test and try and learn from what you did. Go back to the
theory and compare the results with what actually took place. Then try again
based on your improved learning." They might then have stayed by my side and
offered support and assistance as I went through the process, helping me to
learn and in turn learning themselves. In short. Plan Do Study Act.

This is the model of direct knowledge and its development, that I would
propose, with particular emphasis on the last bit, the mentoring. As I
understand it, Deming/Shewhart insisted on the importance of direct
knowledge - related to action, rather than imagination. I believe it is the
responsibility of those of us who have made some progress down this path to
help others to act.

I totally agree with Ivan Webb when he refers to

"providing assistance to enhance a person's capacity to draw on their
experience in order to enhance their knowledge... "

And that's what we should all be about.

It is true that direct individual experience (in the sense of qualia) cannot
be shared with others. But the superordination of experience to shareable
information then changes its nature.

Experiences are specific, individual things. Every combination of person,
and their circumstances, is unique. General principles help us to deal with
and learn through these unique circumstances which involve direct knowledge
(my experiences, my memories, my "intrinsic motivation".)

We are great, here, with the generalities. By and large there is no shortage
of abstract ideas. What we often seem to find difficult is applying the
ideas to the individual experiences, which are the bedrock and foundation of
Dr. Deming's work. They are what give it life.